The Climate Culture Index is a nationwide study to measure the state of our beliefs related to climate action—from what individual Americans are thinking (e.g., their mindsets) about various high-impact climate actions to what they are doing about them.
The Index fills a critical information gap: the state of our beliefs related to climate action. Some data about individuals’ desires and attitudes toward climate action exist. We know, for example, that most Americans want to do something about climate change. Relatedly, this research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communications explores Americans’ attitudes about climate change. But there isn’t good data about whether people are likely to take climate action in their own lives.
Rare’s latest version of the Index expands to include support (and perceived support) for policies that might encourage adoption of each of the 7 behaviors.
Rare’s third run of the Index begins to illustrate changes over time, as well as spotlights particular geographies across the US.
Following the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Rare’s new Index includes eight emission-reducing behaviors outlined in that legislation, attempting to confirm earlier findings that socializing the behaviors will be just as important as incentivizing the behavior itself.
Rare’s inaugural run of the Index surveyed individuals across the country about their opinions, beliefs, and preferences related to each of the seven highest-impact emission-reducing behaviors an individual can adopt to help reduce emissions.